Chili

The problem with chili is that it doesn't photograph well. It's not exactly an elegant dish, but it is delicious and a crowd pleaser. Giving up most beans does not mean you have to give up chili! Real chili doesn't include beans anyway (but you can add navy beans, if you don't mind the look). I have been making this chili for a while now, and it is a big hit with my family and with company. It's also a lot of fun to prepare a variety of toppings for people to add as they desire--chopped tomatoes, chopped avocado, chopped jalapenos (or other chilies), chopped onions (or scallions), minced fresh cilantro, olives, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, hot sauce, etc.

This is another recipe I don't measure precisely with, plus I always make a huge batch and freeze any leftovers. Also, I tend to make my "spicy" dishes mild and let people add more hot sauce, if desired.

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons fat (for browning meat)
Salt and pepper
5 pounds beef stew meat, cut into cubes
1 1/2 large onions, finely chopped (my kid doesn't like chunks of onions)
3 Tablespoons dried ground paprika
2 Tablespoons dried ground cumin
1 Tablespoon dried oregano, crushed in palm before adding
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2-4 Tablespoons red wine (optional)
2 Cups beef broth (or water)
3 cloves garlic, crushed

Method

Sprinkle salt and pepper over meat. In a large cooking pot, brown the meat in the fat over medium heat. You will probably need to do this in batches. Add onions, and saute until softened and translucent. Add all meat back to the cooking pot. Add paprika, cumin, oregano, and cayenne to meat and stir over medium heat for about a minute to coat and allow spices to "activate". Add optional red wine, and stir to blend. When simmering, add beef broth to cover meat at least half way. Bring to a simmer then lower heat to keep at a low simmer and cover. Cook for an hour or two until meat is tender. Add garlic at the end and stir through. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.

If you want to do this in a slow cooker, just add all of the ingredients after you've browned the meat and softened the onions. If you put everything in together at once (raw), it will still taste good, but the onion flavor will be stronger, and the meat will have less depth of flavor and color.

Pork Carnitas

This is a really delicious and easy dish. We can't get enough of it in our house. Left-overs are even better. It's a nice meal for a warm evening or for a cold night when you're sick of traditional winter foods. It's excellent served with an avocado/tomato salsa (as pictured here) or served up "taco salad" style with lettuce, olives, cheese, sour cream, hot sauce etc. Even though you see cheese in the picture, the recipe is dairy-free, and it is also quite tasty without any garnishes.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon salt
3 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon crumbled dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon olive oil, softened butter or lard
1 (4-5 pound) pork roast
2 bay leaves
2 cups chicken broth

Method

Mix first seven ingredients together to form a paste. Add more olive oil, if necessary. Rub mixture all over the roast. Place bay leaves in the bottom of slow cooker. Place roast on top. Carefully add chicken broth around meat (don't pour over the meat or spices will rinse off). Cover and cook on low heat for six to ten hours, until meat shreds easily with a fork. Remove from pot and allow to cool a bit. Shred the meat with two forks. Alternatively you can refrigerate immediately and shred the next day with your hands (This is what I usually do. Sometimes I cook it overnight, then refrigerate all day, then shred and eat for dinner.) The shreds are also good fried in coconut oil.

You can also make this in a pot on the stove top or in the oven. Just keep the temperature low and cook for a long time.